Light detector

ABSTRACT

A light detection element including: a carbon nanotube structure; a first electrode and a second electrode, electrically connected to the carbon nanotube structure; wherein the carbon nanotube structure includes at least one carbon nanotube, the carbon nanotube includes two metallic carbon nanotube segments and one semiconducting carbon nanotube segment between the two metallic carbon nanotube segments, one of the two metallic carbon nanotube segments is electrically connected to the first electrode, the other one of the two metallic carbon nanotube segments is electrically connected to the second electrode.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to applications entitled, “METHOD FOR MAKINGCARBON NANOTUBES”, filed May 14, 2018 (Ser. No. 15/979,423), “CARBONNANOTUBE ARRAY”, filed May 14, 2018 (Ser. No. 15/978,266), “THIN FILMTRANSISTOR”, filed May 14, 2018 (Ser. No. 15/978,264), and“PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE”, filed May 14, 2018 (Ser. No.15/978,262).

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to a light detectionelement.

BACKGROUND

Carbon nanotubes have excellent properties such as electricalproperties, high Young's modulus and tensile strength, and high thermalconductivity.

In carbon nanotubes prepared by the conventional chemical vapordeposition (CVD) method, the proportion of the metallic carbon nanotubes(m-CNTs) and the semiconducting carbon nanotubes (s-CNTs) is typicallyabout 1:2.

It has been impossible to directly grow s-CNTs with higher purity.Meanwhile, the chirality of carbon nanotubes cannot be arbitrarilychanged during growth, in the prior art. Semiconducting carbon nanotubesegments and metallic carbon nanotube segments cannot be alternatelyformed during growth according to need. Thus, carbon nanotubes withalternating semiconducting carbon nanotube segments and metallic carbonnanotube segments have not been available for carbon nanotube structuresor in the application of carbon nanotube structures, such as thin filmtransistors, light detectors, and photoelectric conversion modules.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referenceto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views. Implementations of the present technologywill be described, by way of example only, with reference to theattached figures

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for making carbonnanotubes.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of controlling the chiralityof carbon nanotubes using an electric field.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of controlling the chiralityof carbon nanotubes using an electric field.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of carbon nanotubes withchirality after removing the electric field.

FIG. 5 is a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image of carbon nanotubesbefore and after applying a reverse electric field.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an embodiment of controlling the formationof carbon nanotubes with chirality using an electric field.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an embodiment of chirality of carbonnanotubes after removing the electric field.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a pulsed electric fieldvoltage changing with time.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a chiral change of carbonnanotubes in a pulsed electric field when the pulse width is less than500 ms.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a method of removing thehead portion of the carbon nanotube structure.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the chirality of carbonnanotubes changing with electric field when the pulse width is greaterthan 500 ms.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the chirality of newcarbon nanotubes changing with a pulsed electric field.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the chirality of newcarbon nanotubes changing after removing the pulsed electric field.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the chirality of newcarbon nanotubes changing after removing the pulsed electric field.

FIG. 15 is an SEM image of carbon nanotubes when the pulse width is 100ms.

FIG. 16 is an SEM image of carbon nanotubes when the pulse width is 10seconds.

FIG. 17 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of a carbonnanotube array.

FIG. 18 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of a thin filmtransistor.

FIG. 19 is a chart showing test results in an embodiment of the thinfilm transistor.

FIG. 20 is a structural schematic view of another embodiment of a thinfilm transistor.

FIG. 21 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of a lightdetector.

FIG. 22 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of aphotoelectric conversion device.

FIG. 23 is a sectional schematic view of another embodiment of aphotoelectric conversion device.

FIG. 24 is a structural schematic view of an embodiment of aphotoelectric conversion device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among thedifferent figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will beunderstood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodimentsdescribed herein can be practiced without these specific details. Inother instances, methods, procedures, and components have not beendescribed in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant featurebeing described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and theproportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustratedetails and features. The description is not to be considered aslimiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now bepresented.

The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected orreleasably connected. The term “substantially” is defined to beessentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or otherfeature that the term modifies, such that the component need not beexact. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarilylimited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion ormembership in a so-described combination, group, series, and the like.It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in thisdisclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and suchreferences mean “at least one.”

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an embodiment of a method of making carbonnanotubes comprises:

-   -   S11, depositing a catalyst layer 12 on a substrate 11;    -   S12, placing the substrate 11 having the deposited catalyst        layer 12 in a reaction furnace 13, then heating the reaction        furnace 13 to obtain a predetermined temperature, introducing a        carbon source gas 14 and a protective gas 15 into the reaction        furnace 13 to grow a first carbon nanotube structure 161,        wherein the first carbon nanotube structure 161 includes a        plurality of carbon nanotube segments;    -   S13, applying an electric field to the first carbon nanotube        structure 161, wherein the direction of the electric field is        the direction in which the catalyst layer 12 is positively        charged; and    -   S14, reversing the direction of the electric field to grow a        second carbon nanotube structure 162 from the first carbon        nanotube structure 161, wherein the first carbon nanotube        structure 161 and the second carbon nanotube structure 162 form        a carbon nanotube structure 16, and the second carbon nanotube        structure 162 includes a plurality of semiconducting carbon        nanotube segments.

In step S11, carbon nanotubes are grown on the substrate 11. Thematerial of the substrate 11 can be silicon, glass, quartz, or the like.In an embodiment, the substrate 11 is ST-cut single crystal quartzsubstrate.

The catalyst layer 12 can be a catalyst powder layer. The material ofthe catalyst layer 12 can be any catalyst material sufficient to growsingle-walled carbon nanotubes. The catalyst layer 12 can be iron powderlayer, iron film, nickel powder layer, nickel mesh, or mixture layer ofalumina powder and iron powder. The method of forming the catalyst layer12 on the substrate 11 can be electron beam deposition, vapordeposition, sputtering, or spraying. In an embodiment, the catalystlayer 12 is an iron powder layer with a particle diameter of 0.2nanometers, the catalyst layer 12 is deposited on the substrate 11 byelectron beam deposition.

In step S12, the substrate 11 having the deposited catalyst layer 12 isplaced in the reaction furnace 13. The predetermined temperature is in arange of 800 degrees Celsius to 960 degrees Celsius. The predeterminedtemperature can be in a range of 900 degrees Celsius to 950 degreesCelsius. In an embodiment, the predetermined temperature is 950 degreesCelsius.

The carbon source gas 14 can be carbon monoxide, or hydrocarbon such asacetylene, methane, ethane, or ethylene, or vapor containing carbonatoms, like ethanol. The protective gas 15 can be hydrogen gas, nitrogengas, or another inert gas. The flow ratio of the carbon source gas 14and the protective gas 15 can be adjusted according to the type andrequirement of the carbon source gas. In an embodiment, the carbonsource gas 14 is methane, and the protective gas 15 is hydrogen gas. TheH₂ with a flow rate of 500 sccm and CH₄ with a flow rate of 200 sccm areintroduced into the reaction furnace 13 for ten minutes, then the H₂with a flow rate of 5 sccm and CH₄ with a flow rate of 2 sccm areintroduced into the reaction furnace 13 to grow the first carbonnanotube structure 161.

The method of growing the first carbon nanotube structure 161 is notlimited to the growth method in steps S11-S12 described above, themethod can be arc discharge method or laser ablation method. The firstcarbon nanotube structure 161 includes a plurality of carbon nanotubesegments. The plurality of carbon nanotube segments are arranged in anarray, and plurality of carbon nanotube segments substantially extendalong the same direction. The quantity density of the carbon nanotubesegments in the first carbon nanotube structure 161 is greater than 3/μmto ensure that the chirality of carbon nanotube segments can beeffectively controlled by the electric field in the growth process ofthe carbon nanotube segments. The term “quantity density” refers to thenumber of carbon nanotube segments per micron along a direction which isperpendicular to the growth direction of the carbon nanotube segments.In an embodiment, the carbon nanotube segments are arranged in ahorizontal array, and the quantity density of the carbon nanotubesegments is greater than 6/μm. The growth process of the plurality ofcarbon nanotube segments can be bottom growth, or top growth. When thegrowth process of the plurality of carbon nanotube segments is bottomgrowth, the catalyst layer 12 is adhered to the surface of the substrate11, and the carbon nanotube segments start growing from the surface ofthe catalyst layer 12 and grow away from the catalyst layer 12. When thegrowth process of the plurality of carbon nanotube segments is topgrowth, the carbon nanotube segments start growing from the surface ofthe catalyst layer 12 and grow with the catalyst layer 12. The firstcarbon nanotube structure 161 includes a plurality of metallic carbonnanotube segments. The carbon nanotube segments of the first carbonnanotube structure 161 are single-walled carbon nanotubes. The diameterof a single-walled carbon nanotube is less than 2 nanometers. Thediameter of the single-walled carbon nanotubes can be in a range of 1.2nanometers to 1.5 nanometers. In an embodiment, the first carbonnanotube structure 161 includes both semiconducting carbon nanotubesegments and metallic carbon nanotube segments, and the ratio of thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segments and the metallic carbon nanotubesegments is about or less than 2:1.

In step S13, the electric field applied to the carbon nanotube segmentstructure 16 can be a direct current (DC) electric field or a pulsedelectric field. A direction of the electric field is set to a positivedirection when the catalyst layer is positively charged. A direction ofthe electric field is set to a negative direction when the catalystlayer is negatively charged. The positive direction can be reversed tothe negative direction. In FIG. 3, “s” refers to semiconducting, “m”refers to metallic, and “E” refers to the applied electric field. In anembodiment, the electric field is the DC electric field. When a positiveelectric field is first applied to the first carbon nanotube structure161, the growth of the first carbon nanotube structure 161 is notaffected and the chirality of the carbon nanotube segments in the firstcarbon nanotube structure 161 remains unchanged. Thus, the metalliccarbon nanotube segments remain as pure metallic carbon nanotubesegments before and after applying the positive electric field, and thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segments remain as pure semiconductingcarbon nanotube segments before and after applying the positive electricfield.

In step S14, the positive electric field is reversed to a negativeelectric field. Such change from the positive electric field to thenegative electric field causes the chirality of the grown carbonnanotube segments to change. When the electric field direction changesfrom the positive direction to the negative direction, the carbonnanotube segments of the second carbon nanotube structure 162 are mostlysemiconducting carbon nanotube segments. The second carbon nanotubestructure 162, grown from the semiconducting carbon nanotube segments ofthe first carbon nanotube structure 161, are semiconducting carbonnanotube segments. The carbon nanotube segments of the second carbonnanotube structure 162, that are grown from the metallic carbon nanotubesegments of the first carbon nanotube structure 161, are alsosemiconducting carbon nanotube segments.

The second carbon nanotube structure 162 can become pure semiconductingcarbon nanotube segments by applying an inverted electric field. Thechange of the electric field direction from positive to negativeincreases negative charges, which increases the Fermi level of thecatalyst layer. The higher the Fermi level, the easier is the transitionfrom metallic carbon nanotube segments to semiconducting carbon nanotubesegments. In an embodiment, the raised value of the Fermi level of thecatalyst layer is greater than or equal to 0.7 eV. In an embodiment, theraised value of the Fermi level of the catalyst layer is 1 eV.

When the positive electric field is originally applied to the firstcarbon nanotube structure 161, the application time of the positiveelectric field must not be too short, the carbon nanotube segments musthave enough time inside a positive electric field environment. In anembodiment, the application time of the positive electric field isgreater than or equal to 2 seconds, and the electric field intensity ofthe positive electric field is greater than or equal to 200 volts permillimeter (v/mm). When the positive electric field is reversed, theelectric field environment of the carbon nanotube segments changesviolently, which directly affects the chirality of the carbon nanotubesegments. Gibbs free energy for growing semiconducting carbon nanotubesis less than Gibbs free energy for growing metallic carbon nanotubesafter the catalyst layer is negatively charged. When the electric fieldreverses from positive to negative, the second carbon nanotube structure162 mostly comprises semiconducting carbon nanotube segments. Theproportion of semiconducting carbon nanotube segments in the secondcarbon nanotube structure 162 is related to the application time of thenegative electric field. The application time of the negative electricfield depends on the area of electrodes. The larger the area ofelectrodes, the longer the application time of the negative electricfield. For example, when the area of electrodes is very small (4 mm×8mm), the carbon nanotube segments can become completely semiconductingcarbon nanotube segments with the application time of the negativeelectric field being 100 ms; when the area of electrodes is very large(4 cm×4 cm), the carbon nanotube segments can become completelysemiconducting carbon nanotube segments with the application time of thenegative electric field being 500 ms, the carbon nanotube segments canbecome completely semiconducting carbon nanotube segments when theapplication time of the negative electric field is in a range of 100 msto 500 ms. In an embodiment, the area of electrodes is 5 mm×2 cm, andthe electrodes are used in the following. When the application time ofthe negative electric field is less than 200 ms, only part of the carbonnanotube segments of the second carbon nanotube structure 162 aresemiconducting carbon nanotube segments. If the application time of thenegative electric field is too short, other part of the carbon nanotubesegments of the second carbon nanotube structure 162 remains metalliccarbon nanotube segments. When the application time of the negativeelectric field is greater than 200 ms, all the carbon nanotube segmentsof the second carbon nanotube structure 162 become semiconducting carbonnanotube segments. In FIG. 4, when all the carbon nanotube segments ofthe second carbon nanotube structure 162 are semiconducting carbonnanotube segments, the growth of the carbon nanotube structure 16 is notaffected by the negative electric field. After removing the negativeelectric field, the chirality of new carbon nanotube segments grown fromthe carbon nanotube structure 16 will remain unchanged. In FIG. 5 is anSEM image of carbon nanotubes before and after applying the reverseelectric field. The white strips are metallic carbon nanotube segments,the dark strips are semiconducting carbon nanotube segments. In anembodiment, the application time of the positive electric field is 20seconds, the electric field intensity of the positive electric field is200 v/mm, the application time of the negative electric field is 500milliseconds, and the electric field intensity of the negative electricfield is −200 v/mm.

Alternatively, in FIG. 6, when the electric field direction changes fromnegative to positive, the chirality of the carbon nanotube segments canalso change during growth. When a negative electric field is firstapplied to the first carbon nanotube structure 161, the growth of thefirst carbon nanotube structure 161 is not affected and the chirality ofthe carbon nanotube segments in the first carbon nanotube structure 161remains unchanged. When the electric field direction changes fromnegative to positive, the second carbon nanotube structure 162 aremostly metallic carbon nanotube segments. The second carbon nanotubestructure 162, grown from the metallic carbon nanotube segments of thefirst carbon nanotube structure 161, are metallic carbon nanotubesegments. The second carbon nanotube structure 162, grown from thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segments of the first carbon nanotubestructure 161, are also metallic carbon nanotube segments. The change ofthe electric field direction from negative to positive increasespositive charges, which can reduce the Fermi level of the catalystlayer. The lower the Fermi level, the easier is the transition fromsemiconducting carbon nanotube segments to metallic carbon nanotubesegments. In an embodiment, the reduced value of the Fermi level of thecatalyst layer is less than or equal to −0.1 eV. In an embodiment, thereduced value of the Fermi level of the catalyst layer is less than orequal to −0.2 eV. In FIG. 7, when all the carbon nanotube segments ofthe second carbon nanotube structure 162 are metallic carbon nanotubesegments, the growth of the carbon nanotube structure 16 is not affectedby the positive electric field. After removing the positive electricfield, the chirality of new carbon nanotube segments grown from thecarbon nanotube structure 16 remains unchanged.

Furthermore, applying a pulsed electric field to the first carbonnanotube structure 161 can change the chirality to an alternatingchirality. In FIG. 8, the pulsed electric field is a periodic electricfield formed by a positive electric field pulse followed by a negativeelectric field pulse. The period T of the pulsed electric field is thesum of the pulse width of one positive electric field pulse and thepulse width of one negative electric field pulse. The chirality of thecarbon nanotube segments in the carbon nanotube segment structure 16 canbe controlled by adjusting the pulse width of the negative electricfield pulse and the electric field direction.

In FIG. 8, when the pulse width of the negative electric field pulse isless than 200 milliseconds, and the electric field direction changesfrom positive to negative, only part of the carbon nanotube segments ofthe second carbon nanotube structure 162 are semiconducting carbonnanotube segments. The change in the field direction (from negative topositive), does not change the chirality of the carbon nanotube segmentsof the second carbon nanotube structure 162.

In FIG. 9, when the pulse width of the negative electric field pulse isgreater than 200 milliseconds and less than or equal to 500milliseconds, and the electric field direction changes from positive tonegative, all the carbon nanotube segments of the second carbon nanotubestructure 162 are semiconducting carbon nanotube segments; the change infield (from negative to positive), does not change the chirality of thecarbon nanotube segments of the second carbon nanotube structure 162.

Furthermore, in FIG. 10, pure semiconducting carbon nanotubes can beobtained by removing the metallic carbon nanotube segments of the carbonnanotube structure 16, wherein the metallic carbon nanotube segments arein the head portion of the carbon nanotube structure 16.

In FIG. 11, when the pulse width of the negative electric field pulse isgreater than 500 milliseconds, and the electric field direction changesfrom positive to negative, all the carbon nanotube segments of thesecond carbon nanotube structure 162 are semiconducting carbon nanotubesegments. When electric field direction changes from negative topositive, the carbon nanotube segments of the second carbon nanotubestructure 162 can become metallic carbon nanotube segments. When thepulse width of the negative electric field pulse is too long, thecatalyst layer can spontaneously discharge so that the negative chargedecreases. Upon the electric field direction changing from negative topositive, the positive electric field pulse applied to the catalystlayer is sufficient to change the chirality from semiconducting tometallic. When the pulse width of the negative electric field pulse isgreater than 500 milliseconds, as the application time of the pulsedelectric field increases, the chirality of carbon nanotube segmentswhich are growing from the carbon nanotube structure 16 changesalternately.

In FIG. 12, as period T increases, new carbon nanotube segments grownfrom the carbon nanotube structure 16 consist of alternating metalliccarbon nanotube segments and semiconducting carbon nanotube segments.

Furthermore, in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, after removing the pulsed electricfield, the chirality of the new carbon nanotube segments remainsunchanged. Pure metallic carbon nanotubes can be obtained by removingthe head portion of the carbon nanotube structure.

In FIG. 15, an SEM image of carbon nanotube structure is shown, whereinthe period T of the pulsed electric field is 20 seconds, and the pulsewidth of the negative electric field pulse is 100 milliseconds. Thebright white strips are metallic carbon nanotube segments, and the lightwhite strips are semiconducting carbon nanotube segments.

In FIG. 16, an SEM image of carbon nanotube structure is shown, whereinthe period T of the pulsed electric field is 20 seconds, and the pulsewidth of the negative electric field pulse is 10 seconds. The carbonnanotube structure is an array formed by a plurality of carbonnanotubes, wherein each carbon nanotube is forming semiconducting carbonnanotube segments and metallic carbon nanotube segments on analternating basis.

The method of making carbon nanotubes includes particular advantages.Firstly, the chirality of the carbon nanotube segments grown from acarbon nanotube structure can be adjusted by applying an electric fieldwhich is reversible. Secondly, alternating semiconducting carbonnanotube segments and metallic carbon nanotube segments can be obtainedby adjusting the pulse width of the negative electric field pulse andthe electric field direction.

In FIG. 17, an embodiment of a carbon nanotube array 20 made by theabove method comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes. Each carbonnanotube includes at least one semiconducting carbon nanotube segment(S) and at least one metallic carbon nanotube segment (M). The pluralityof carbon nanotubes are arranged to form an array. The semiconductingcarbon nanotube segment and the adjacent metallic carbon nanotubesegment are connected by the Schottky barrier.

The plurality of carbon nanotubes comprise semiconducting carbonnanotube segments and metallic carbon nanotube segments. Each carbonnanotube can consist of only one semiconducting carbon nanotube segmentand only one metallic carbon nanotube segment, and the semiconductingcarbon nanotube segment and the metallic carbon nanotube segment are anintegrated structure, and are connected by the Schottky barrier. Eachcarbon nanotube can also consist of a plurality of semiconducting carbonnanotube segments and a plurality of metallic carbon nanotube segments,and each semiconducting carbon nanotube segment and each metallic carbonnanotube segment are alternately arranged. The semiconducting carbonnanotube segments and the adjacent metallic carbon nanotube segments areconnected by the Schottky barrier.

In FIG. 17, (a)-(e), in the carbon nanotube array 20, the structure ofthe carbon nanotubes can be M-S-M type carbon nanotubes, S-M-S typecarbon nanotubes, or S-M type carbon nanotubes. In the plurality ofcarbon nanotubes, the lengths of the semiconducting carbon nanotubesegment are substantially the same, and the lengths of the metalliccarbon nanotube segment are substantially the same. The term“substantially” means that the lengths of the carbon nanotube segmentsmay be slightly different in each carbon nanotube. In the actualproduction process, since the growth rate of each carbon nanotube isslightly different, the length of each carbon nanotube may be slightlydifferent at the point when the direction of the electric field changes.

The length of each semiconducting carbon nanotube segment or the lengthof each metallic carbon nanotube segment in the carbon nanotubes can beadjusted by changing the application time period of the electric field.The carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube array 20 are single-walledcarbon nanotubes, and the diameter of the single-walled carbon nanotubesis less than 2 nanometers. Furthermore, the diameter of thesingle-walled carbon nanotubes is in a range of 1.2 nanometers to 1.5nanometers.

In an embodiment, each carbon nanotube consists of a plurality ofsemiconducting carbon nanotube segments and a plurality of metalliccarbon nanotube segments. The semiconducting carbon nanotube segmentsand the metallic carbon nanotube segments are alternately arranged, andthe diameter of each carbon nanotube is 1.3 nanometers.

The carbon nanotube array 20 has particular advantages. Each carbonnanotube includes metallic carbon nanotube segments and semiconductingcarbon nanotube segments. The carbon nanotube array 20 is an integratedstructure being partly conductive and partly semiconductive. Thus, thecarbon nanotube array 20 has a wide range of potential uses.

For example, in FIG. 18, an embodiment of a thin film transistor 30comprises an insulating substrate 31, a gate electrode 32, a gateinsulating layer 33, a carbon nanotube structure 34, a source electrode35, and a drain electrode 36. The carbon nanotube structure 34 includesat least one carbon nanotube. One end of the carbon nanotube is a firstmetallic carbon nanotube segment 341, and the other end of the carbonnanotube is a second metallic carbon nanotube segment 342. There is asemiconducting carbon nanotube segment 343 in the middle of the carbonnanotube. The gate electrode 32 is located on a surface of theinsulating substrate 31. The gate insulating layer 33 is located on asurface away from the insulating substrate 31 of the gate electrode 32.The carbon nanotube structure 34 is located on a surface away from thegate electrode 32 of the gate insulating layer 33. The source electrode35 is located on the first metallic carbon nanotube segment 341, and thedrain electrode 36 is located on the second metallic carbon nanotubesegment 342. The source electrode 35 and the drain electrode 36 areelectrically connected to the carbon nanotube structure 34. Thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segment 343 is used as a channel. Thecarbon nanotube structure 34, the source electrode 35, and the drainelectrode 36 are insulated from the gate electrode 32. Furthermore, thesource electrode 35 and the drain electrode 36 are selectable, thus thefirst metallic carbon nanotube segment 341 can be used as a sourceelectrode, and the second metallic carbon nanotube segment 342 can beused as a drain electrode.

The insulating substrate 31 is a support. Materials of the insulatingsubstrate 31 can be rigid materials (e.g., glass, quartz, ceramics,diamond), or flexible materials (e.g., plastic or resin). The insulatingsubstrate 31 can be polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthalate, or polyimide. In an embodiment, the material of theinsulating substrate 31 is polyethylene naphthalate.

The gate electrode 32, the source electrode 35, and the drain electrode36 are conductive materials. The conductive materials can be metal,indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, conductive silver paste,conductive polymer, and conductive carbon nanotubes. The material of themetal can be aluminum, copper, tungsten, molybdenum, gold, titanium, orpalladium. In an embodiment, the gate electrode 32, the source electrode35, and the drain electrode 36 are metal composite structures formed bygold and titanium, the gold being located on surface of titanium.

The material of the gate insulating layer 33 can be rigid materials,such as alumina, yttrium oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxide. Thematerial of the gate insulating layer 33 can also be flexible materials,such as benzocyclobutene, polyester, or acrylic resin. A thickness ofthe gate insulating layer 33 is in a range of 0.5 nanometers to 100micrometers. In an embodiment, the material of the gate insulating layer33 is alumina, and the thickness of the gate insulating layer 33 is 40nanometers.

The carbon nanotube structure 34 includes at least one carbon nanotube.When the carbon nanotube structure 34 includes a plurality of carbonnanotubes, the plurality of carbon nanotubes are combined tightly by theVan der Waals force to form a carbon nanotube film. The plurality ofcarbon nanotubes extend substantially along a same direction. Eachcarbon nanotube consists of two metallic carbon nanotube segments and asemiconducting carbon nanotube segment in the middle of the carbonnanotube. The lengths of the metallic carbon nanotube segments ofadjacent carbon nanotubes are substantially the same, and the lengths ofthe semiconducting carbon nanotube segments of adjacent carbon nanotubesare substantially the same. The metallic carbon nanotube segments of theplurality of carbon nanotubes are the ends of the carbon nanotubes. Themetallic carbon nanotube segments at one end of the carbon nanotubestructure 34 are in direct contact with the source electrode 35, and themetallic carbon nanotube segments at the other end of the carbonnanotube structure 34 are in direct contact with the drain electrode 36.Thus, the source electrode 35 and the drain electrode 36 have a goodelectrical connection within the carbon nanotube structure 34. The M-S-Mtype of the carbon nanotube structure 34 can be obtained by the abovemethod. The lengths of the channel and the metallic carbon nanotubesegments 341, 342 can be adjusted by controlling the electric field.

In use, the source electrode 35 is grounded. A voltage Vg is applied onthe gate electrode 32. Another voltage Vd is applied to the drainelectrode 36. The voltage Vg forms an electric field in the channel ofthe carbon nanotube structure 34. Accordingly, carriers exist in thechannel near the gate electrode. As the Vg increases, a current isgenerated and flows through the channel. Thus, the source electrode 35and the drain electrode 36 are electrically connected.

In FIG. 19, a chart of test results of an embodiment of the thin filmtransistor 30 is shown. The carbon nanotube structure 34 of the thinfilm transistor 30 consists of forty carbon nanotubes. The switchingratio of the thin film transistor 30 can be 2×10⁵:1.

The thin film transistor 30 has following advantages. The metalliccarbon nanotube segments 341, 342 of the carbon nanotubes structure 34can be used as source electrodes and drain electrodes. Thus, thestructure of the thin film transistor is simple and there is no need toprepare extra electrodes. Since the source electrode, the drainelectrode, and the semiconductor layer are integrated, the interfacebetween the semiconductor layer and the source electrode, and the drainelectrode is reduced as a barrier, and the switching ratio is increased.When an independent metal source electrode and an independent metaldrain electrode are provided, both ends of the carbon nanotubes beingmetallic carbon nanotube segments, the metallic carbon nanotube segmentshave excellent electrical connection with the independent metal sourceelectrode and the independent metal drain electrode.

In FIG. 20, an embodiment of a thin film transistor 40 comprises aninsulating substrate 41, a carbon nanotube structure 42, a sourceelectrode 43, a drain electrode 44, an insulating layer 45, and a gateelectrode 46. The carbon nanotube structure 42 includes at least onecarbon nanotube. One end of the carbon nanotube is a first metalliccarbon nanotube segment 421, and the other end of the carbon nanotube isa second metallic carbon nanotube segment 422. A semiconducting carbonnanotube segment 423 is in the middle of the carbon nanotube. Thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segment 423 is used as a channel. Thecarbon nanotube structure 42 is located on a surface of the insulatingsubstrate 41. The source electrode 43 is in direct contact with thefirst metallic carbon nanotube segment 421, and the drain electrode 44is in direct contact with the second metallic carbon nanotube segment422. The source electrode 43 and the drain electrode 44 are electricallyconnected to the carbon nanotube structure 42. The insulating layer 45is located on a surface of the carbon nanotube structure 42. The gateelectrode 46 is located on a surface of the insulating layer 45.

The thin film transistor 40 is similar to the thin film transistor 30except that the thin film transistor 40 is a top gate type thin filmtransistor. The insulating layer 45 insulates the gate electrode 46 fromthe source electrode 43, from the drain electrode 44, and from thecarbon nanotube structure 42.

In FIG. 21, an embodiment of a light detector 50 comprises a carbonnanotube structure 51, a first electrode 52, a second electrode 53, anda current detection device 54. The carbon nanotube structure 51 iselectrically connected to the first electrode 52 and the secondelectrode 53. The current detection device 54, the first electrode 52,the second electrode 53, and the carbon nanotube structure 51 areelectrically connected to form a circuit in series. The carbon nanotubestructure 51 is the same as the carbon nanotube structure 34. Both endsof the carbon nanotube structure 51 are metallic carbon nanotubesegments, and the first electrode 52, the second electrode 53 arelocated on surfaces of the metallic carbon nanotube segments and are indirect contact with the metallic carbon nanotube segments.

In the carbon nanotube structure 51, the M-S-M type of the carbonnanotube includes a heterojunction and is used to detect light.

The first electrode 52 and the second electrode 53 are both composed ofconductive materials. The conductive materials can be metal, indium tinoxide, antimony tin oxide, conductive silver paste, conductive polymer,and conductive carbon nanotubes. The material of the metal can bealuminum, copper, tungsten, molybdenum, gold, titanium, or palladium.The first electrode 52 and the second electrode 53 can also beconductive films. A thickness of the conductive films is in a range of 2microns to 100 microns. In an embodiment, the first electrode 52 and thesecond electrode 53 are metal composite structures formed of gold andtitanium. The titanium is located on the carbon nanotube structure 51,and the gold is located on the titanium. The thickness of titanium is 2nanometers, and the thickness of gold is 50 nanometers.

The current detection device 54 detects the current in the circuit. Thecurrent detection device 54 can be an ammeter. Furthermore, the lightdetector 50 includes a power source 55, the power source 55 can providea bias voltage between the first electrode 52 and the second electrode53.

Furthermore, the light detector 50 includes a substrate 56, thesubstrate 56 supporting the carbon nanotube structure 51. When thecarbon nanotube structure 51 is a free-standing structure, the substrate56 can be omitted. The term “free-standing structure” means that thecarbon nanotube structure can sustain the weight of itself when hoistedby a portion thereof without any significant damage to its structuralintegrity. The material of the substrate 56 can be insulating material,such as glass, ceramic, polymer, or wood material. The material of thesubstrate 56 can also be conductive metal material coated with aninsulating material. In an embodiment, the material of the substrate 56can be glass.

The light detector 50 can detect light. The working process of the lightdetector 50 comprises turning on the power source 55, and applying avoltage between the first electrode 52 and the second electrode 53. Inthe absence of light, no photogenerated carriers are produced in thecarbon nanotube structure 51, the heterojunction is on off-status, andno current passes through the series circuit. No current change isdetected by the current detection device 54. If light irradiates thecarbon nanotube structure 51, photo-generated carriers are produced inthe carbon nanotube structure 51, the heterojunction is on on-status, acurrent passes through the series circuit, and the current detectiondevice 54 detects the current change.

The light detector 50 can be used quantitatively as well asqualitatively. For quantitative function, the light detector 50 isturned on the power source 55 applies a voltage between the firstelectrode 52 and the second electrode 53. As light of differentstrengths irradiates the carbon nanotube structure 51, different currentvalues corresponding to lights with different strengths are recorded,and a graph about light strengths and current values can be drawn. If alight with unknown strength irradiates the carbon nanotube structure 51,a current value corresponding to such light can be detected, andaccording to the graph about light strengths and current values, thestrength of the light can be calculated.

The light detector 50 has following advantages. Since the detectionpoint of the light detector 50 is the carbon nanotube structurecontaining a heterojunction, the heterojunction is formed by thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segments and the metallic carbon nanotubesegments. The semiconducting carbon nanotube segments and the metalliccarbon nanotube segments are integrated as a structure, which increasesease of conduction and sensitivity to current. Therefore, the lightdetector has a simple structure and high sensitivity.

In FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, an embodiment of a photoelectric conversiondevice 60 comprises a photoelectric conversion module 61, a coverstructure 62, and the substrate 63. The photoelectric conversion module61 is located on the substrate 63. The photoelectric conversion module61 includes a carbon nanotube structure 64. The carbon nanotubestructure 64 is the same as the carbon nanotube structure 34. One end ofthe carbon nanotube structure 64 is a first metallic carbon nanotubesegment 641, the other end of the carbon nanotube structure 64 is asecond metallic carbon nanotube segment 642, and a semiconducting carbonnanotube segment 643 is in the middle of the carbon nanotube. Thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segment 643 includes a covered area 643 band a non-covered area 643 a. The cover structure 62 covers the coveredarea 643 b of the photoelectric conversion module 61.

FIG. 22 shows a top view of the photoelectric conversion device 60. FIG.23 shows a sectional schematic of the photoelectric conversion device60.

The substrate 63 supports the photoelectric conversion module 61. Whenthe photoelectric conversion module 61 is a free-standing structure, thesubstrate 63 can be omitted. The material of the substrate 63 can beinsulating material, such as glass, ceramic, polymer, or wood material.The material of the substrate 63 can also be conductive metal materialcoated with an insulating material. The material of the substrate 63should not be infrared-absorbent. A thickness of the substrate 63 is notlimited. The thickness of the substrate 63 is in a range of 1 millimeterto 2 centimeters. In an embodiment, the material of the substrate 63 isglass, and the thickness of the substrate 63 is 5 millimeters.

The semiconducting carbon nanotube segment 643 is divided into thecovered area 643 b and the non-covered area 643 a. The areas of thecovered area 643 b and the non-covered area 643 a is not limited. Thearea of the covered area 643 b can be greater than, equal to, or lessthan the area of the non-covered area 643 a. In an embodiment, the areaof the covered area 643 b is equal to the area of the non-covered area643 a.

The non-covered area 643 a receives light energy and converts the lightenergy into heat energy, raising the temperature of the non-covered area643 a. Thus, a temperature difference is generated between the coveredarea 643 b and the non-covered area 643 a. A potential difference isgenerated in the semiconducting carbon nanotube segment 643 by thethermoelectric effect. The light energy can be from sunlight, visiblelight, infrared or ultraviolet, or even electromagnetic waves outsidethe visible spectrum.

The photoelectric conversion module 61 comprises a first electrode 65and a second electrode 66. The first electrode 65 is electricallyconnected to the first metallic carbon nanotube segment 641, and thesecond electrode 66 is electrically connected to the second metalliccarbon nanotube segment 642. The first electrode 65 and the secondelectrode 66 are voltage outputs of the photoelectric conversion device60. Furthermore, the chirality of the first metallic carbon nanotubesegment 641 and the second metallic carbon nanotube segment 642 aremetallic. Thus, the first metallic carbon nanotube segment 641 and thesecond metallic carbon nanotube segment 642 can be independentelectrodes, or the first metallic carbon nanotube segment 641 and thesecond metallic carbon nanotube segment 642 can be used as voltageoutputs.

The photoelectric conversion device 60 further includes a first leadwire (not shown) and a second lead wire (not shown). The first lead wireis electrically connected to the first electrode 65, the second leadwire is electrically connected to the second electrode 66. The firstlead wire can facilitate a connection to the first electrode 65 and thesecond lead wire can facilitate a connection to the second electrode 66,without a circuit.

The cover structure 62 is used to cover the covered area 643 b of thephotoelectric conversion module 61 to prevent light-irradiation of thecovered area 643 b. The cover structure 62 should not cover thenon-covered area 643 a. The material of the cover structure 62 can beconductive or insulating. The conductive material can be metal or alloy,such as stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, nickel, titanium, zinc,or aluminum. The insulation material can be resin or plastic. When thecover structure 62 is insulating material, the cover structure 62 can bein direct contact with the covered area 643 b and cover the covered area643 b. When the cover structure 62 is conductive material, the coverstructure 62 should be spaced apart from and insulated from the coveredarea 643 b. In an embodiment, the cover structure 62 is a housing withan accommodating space, and the cover structure 62 is fixed on thesubstrate 63. The covered area 643 b is located inside the accommodatingspace of the cover structure 62. The covered area 643 b is spaced fromthe cover structure 62. When the material of the substrate 63 and thematerial of the cover structure 62 are both insulating materials, thecover structure 62 and the substrate 63 can form an integratedstructure.

The photoelectric conversion device 60 has following advantages. Whenthe covered area 643 b is exposed to light, a temperature difference isgenerated between the covered area 643 b and the non-covered area 643a,electricity being generated by the thermoelectric effect. Thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segment 643, the first metallic carbonnanotube segment 641, and the second metallic carbon nanotube segment642 are integrated, reducing the resistance of the interface as abarrier and increasing the output power.

In FIG. 24, an embodiment of a photoelectric conversion device 70comprises a photoelectric conversion module 71, a cover structure 72,and the substrate 73. The photoelectric conversion module 71 is locatedon the substrate 73. The photoelectric conversion module 71 includes acarbon nanotube structure 74. The carbon nanotube structure 74 comprisesa plurality of metallic carbon nanotube segments and a plurality ofsemiconducting carbon nanotube segments alternately arranged.

The photoelectric conversion device 70 is similar to the photoelectricconversion device 60 except that the photoelectric conversion device 70comprises a plurality of metallic carbon nanotube segments and aplurality of semiconducting carbon nanotube segments alternatelyarranged. Since the metallic carbon nanotube segments can be used aselectrodes, the photoelectric conversion device 70 includes a pluralityof semiconducting carbon nanotube segments connected in series. Thus,the output power of the photoelectric conversion device 70 is increased.The cover structure 72 includes a plurality of spaced covering bodies721 and a plurality of spaced openings 722. Each semiconducting carbonnanotube segment has a first portion covered by one spaced covering body721 and a second portion exposed from one spaced opening 722. The spacedopenings can be windows using transparent materials, such as glass.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even thoughnumerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology havebeen set forth in the foregoing description, together with details ofthe structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within theprinciples of the present disclosure, up to and including the fullextent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in theclaims.

Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps of methods describedmay be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may bealtered. The description and the claims drawn to a method may comprisesome indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indicationused is only to be viewed for identification purposes and not as asuggestion for ordering the steps.

What is claimed is:
 1. A light detection element comprising: a carbonnanotube structure; a first electrode and a second electrode, the firstelectrode and the second electrode electrically connected to the carbonnanotube structure; wherein the carbon nanotube structure comprises asingle carbon nanotube, the single carbon nanotube comprises a firstmetallic carbon nanotube segment, a second metallic carbon nanotubesegment, and a semiconducting carbon nanotube segment between the firstmetallic carbon nanotube segment and the second metallic carbon nanotubesegment, the first metallic carbon nanotube segment is electricallyconnected to the first electrode, the second metallic carbon nanotubesegment is electrically connected to the second electrode, thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segment is obtained by applying areversed electric field in the process of growing the first metalliccarbon nanotube segment or the second metallic carbon nanotube segment,the single carbon nanotube is made of pure carbon nanotube.
 2. The lightdetection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode islocated on the first metallic carbon nanotube segment, the secondelectrode is located on the second metallic carbon nanotube segment. 3.The light detection element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the firstmetallic carbon nanotube segments and the semiconducting carbon nanotubesegment in the single carbon nanotube are connected by a first Schottkybarrier, the second metallic carbon nanotube segment and thesemiconducting carbon nanotube segment in the single carbon nanotube areconnected by a second Schottky barrier.
 4. The light detection elementas claimed in claim 1, wherein the single carbon nanotube is asingle-walled carbon nanotube, the diameter of the single-walled carbonnanotube is less than 2 nanometers.
 5. The light detection element asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the diameter of the single-walled carbonnanotube is in a range of 1.2 nanometers to 1.5 nanometers.
 6. A lightdetector comprising a light detection element and a current detectiondevice, wherein the light detection element comprises: a carbon nanotubestructure; a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrodeand the second electrode electrically connected to the carbon nanotubestructure; wherein the carbon nanotube structure comprises a singlecarbon nanotube, the single carbon nanotube comprises a first metalliccarbon nanotube segment, a second metallic carbon nanotube segment, anda semiconducting carbon nanotube segment between the first metalliccarbon nanotube segment and the second metallic carbon nanotube segment,the first metallic carbon nanotube segment is electrically connected tothe first electrode, the second metallic carbon nanotube segment iselectrically connected to the second electrode, the semiconductingcarbon nanotube segment is obtained by applying a reversed electricfield in the process of growing the first metallic carbon nanotubesegment or the second metallic carbon nanotube segment, the singlecarbon nanotube is made of pure carbon nanotube.
 7. The light detectoras claimed in claim 6, further comprises a power source, the powersource is used to provide a bias voltage between the first electrode andthe second electrode.
 8. The light detector as claimed in claim 7,wherein the power source, the current detection device, the firstelectrode, the second electrode, and the carbon nanotube structure areelectrically connected to form a series circuit.
 9. The light detectoras claimed in claim 6, further comprises a substrate, the substrate isused to support the carbon nanotube structure.
 10. The light detectionelement as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the first metallic carbonnanotube segment and the second metallic carbon nanotube segment aremetallic.
 11. The light detection element as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe semiconducting carbon nanotube segment is semiconducting.
 12. Alight detection element comprising: a carbon nanotube structure; a firstelectrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the secondelectrode electrically connected to the carbon nanotube structure;wherein the carbon nanotube structure comprises a plurality of carbonnanotubes, each of the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprises a firstcarbon nanotube segment, a second carbon nanotube segment, and a thirdcarbon nanotube segment between the first carbon nanotube segment andthe second carbon nanotube segment, both the first carbon nanotubesegment and the second carbon nanotube segment are metallic, the thirdcarbon nanotube segment is semiconducting, the first carbon nanotubesegment is electrically connected to the first electrode, the secondcarbon nanotube segment is electrically connected to the secondelectrode, the third carbon nanotube segment is obtained by applying areversed electric field in the process of growing the first carbonnanotube segment or the second carbon nanotube segment, each of theplurality of carbon nanotubes is made of pure carbon nanotube.
 13. Thelight detection element as claimed in claim 12, wherein lengths of thefirst carbon nanotube segments are the same, lengths of the secondcarbon nanotube segments are the same, and lengths of the third carbonnanotube segments are the same.
 14. The light detection element asclaimed in claim 12, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes arecombined with each other by Van der Waals force and extend along a samedirection.